New York Welcomes Peregrine Falcon Chicks

Every year wildlife expert Chris Nadareski climbs to the top of three major New York City bridges to band peregrine falcon chicks, the latest arrivals to a state nesting program that has been ongoing since 1983. This year, 11 chicks were welcomed to the program.

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Mr. Nadareski of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection works with the chicks atop the Throgs Neck Bridge, where the birds nest at a height of 360 feet. This year the program welcomed four chicks at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (3 girls and one boy); four at the Throgs Neck Bridge ( 2 girls and 2 boys) and three at Marine Parkway Bridge (two girls and a boy).

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Two peregrine falcon chicks are pictured atop the Marine Parkway Bridge. Peregrine falcons are on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s endangered species list and were nearly decimated a few decades ago as pesticides and chemicals crept into their food supply. The nesting program helps the Department of Environmental Protection monitor the number of birds in the city and identify them if they get ill or injured, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Currently, the DEP knows of 16 “falcon couples” that have made New York City their home, according to its website.

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Pictured, a falcon flies above the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Workers try keep out of the way of birds when climbing the towers for maintenance work. Disturbing a nest intentionally can have consequences: in Philadelphia, three men were charged with allegedly trying to cover up the disturbance of a nest while working on a bridge.

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A tagged peregrine falcon chick on the Verrazano Bridge. The number of birds and high rises in New York City make it a good location for urban falcons, according to the DEP. Its landscape reminds the falcon of its natural habitat of high cliffs, trees and rivers. “A City bridge or skyscraper provides a great deal of open air space and a unique perch for hunting,” according to the DEP. Chicks take their maiden flight at around six weeks old.